Amid its climb toward financial stability, Delta Health Hospital lost its footing after a string of unexpected expenses and complications, from Medicaid “clawbacks” to the loss of millions in drug discounts.
That stumble left the hospital with only a few days of on-hand cash; however, Delta Health executives emphasized the hospital is not in peril of closing.
A recent appeals-court ruling restricts options for hospitals seeking to use litigation to ensure prompt Medicaid payment.
The March 14 ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in Saint Anthony Hospital v. Whitehorn essentially states that hospitals do not have a legal right to sue state Medicaid programs under federal law to obtain timely payment.
An algorithm that learned from tens of thousands of nutrition prescriptions for premature babies could reduce medical errors and better identify what nutrients the smallest patients need.
In an era where healthcare is becoming increasingly transactional and impersonal, I see concierge medicine emerging as a solution to this broken system.
Any reduction in federal Medicaid spending would leave states with tough choices about how to offset reductions through tax increases or cuts to other programs, like education. If states are not able to offset the loss of federal funds with new taxes or reductions in other state spending, states would have to make cuts to their Medicaid programs.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System eliminated 300 positions amid financial uncertainty on Tuesday. The March 25 terminations were announced to employees in an internal email obtained by The Daily Pennsylvanian and represent a 0.5% reduction in UPHS's workforce. According to the email, the "restructuring and consolidation of certain roles" came as part of a plan to help "ensure strong financial footing."